Transparent creator opines on medium’s future
Transparent creator discusses Season 2, Caitlyn Jenner, and evolution of the medium
By now, it has become common knowledge for fans of the critically acclaimed Amazon series Transparent that the premise was inspired by the experiences of Jill Soloway’s 75-year-old father coming out as transgender at the age of 75. Soloway has said that Transparent is not really autobiographical. But it still has that hallmark of so many great series in our new golden age of television: the powerful singular vision of its creator.
Transparent, which streams on Amazon, picked up Golden Globe wins for best television series and best performance by an actor for Jeffrey Tambor. He plays Maura Pfefferman, born Mort Pfefferman, a retired college professor who comes out as transgender to her baffled family.
Soloway, whose history in television includes working on The United States of Tara, Grey’s Anatomy and Six Feet Under, will be awarded the Showrunner of the Year award from the Banff World Media Festival. She will also be holding a master class in Banff on Monday.
She answered some questions from the Calgary Herald.
Q Has production begun on Season 2 of Transparent? What can you tell us about it?
A: Production begins in just a couple weeks! Last season was devoted to exploring the question of “will you still love me if” — whatever “if” might be for each of the Pfeffermans. This season, the question becomes “Will you still love me if I’m happy?” as each of the Pfeffermans pursues their own versions of contentment. Their childhood home passes into a different sibling’s hands, and together the Pfeffermans find themselves renegotiating — once again — what it means for them to be a family.
Q Given the success of the first season, is it daunting at all to work on Season 2? Obviously expectations are high.
A It’s definitely daunting to have so many eyes on us this time around, but it’s also incredibly liberating not to have to start from scratch — we now know the characters quite well and have also established a system of working that has allowed us to spend less time finding our process and more time making art. I’m thrilled to be telling the continuing story of the Pfeffermans and can’t wait to see where production on this season takes us.
Q While you have said that Transparent isn’t really autobiographical, it was inspired by personal experiences. Does this make it more difficult to write than some of the other shows you have worked on?
A Actually, most of the projects I’ve created or initiated have come from a really personal place. (The 2013 indie comedy-drama film) Afternoon Delight was not based on my life, but it came out of the world I live in. In that sense, the main thing separating Transparent from other shows I’ve worked on is that Transparent is my show. With Transparent, I was finally responsible for every aspect — writing, directing, and showrunning. I had something for which I couldn’t shirk the blame if it didn’t turn out well — and that kind of responsibility is rewarding, not difficult, for me.
Q Do you think your background writing for television affects how you run the writers’ room? How does the collaboration between you and other writers work when writing scripts?
A I had years of experience as a showrunner prior to developing Transparent, which allowed me to approach the story in a more holistic way: I know how TV is made, and that informed the way I developed the series just as much as my esthetic sensibilities as a filmmaker. When we were staffing, we paid special attention to writers without TV experience and placed a high priority on chemistry, which goes a long way in allowing for an exciting, productive, bonded writers’ room environment.
Q What was it about Jeffrey Tambor or his past work that made you want to cast him as Maura?
A The biggest draw with Jeffrey was how much he resembled my own parent — I felt such a strong familial pull toward him that it instilled me with complete faith in his ability and inclination to do justice to Maura’s soul. I don’t think I’m the only person who feels that way about Jeffrey, either. America already knows and loves him, which also allowed for our viewers to have a really beautiful relationship with Maura. It allowed for the audience to follow somebody they already care for on the journey of transitioning.
Q In a recent interview, Amy Landecker said you told the cast at the first table reading that you wanted Transparent to give a platform to people to be more open about gender and sexuality. The series never feels preachy, but did you ever worry it might be overwhelmed by a message? How do you maintain a balance between helping change views on transgender rights, for instance, and simply making an entertaining show?
A My only focus was on telling these characters’ stories as authentically as possible. The queerness of the Pfefferman family developed organically; there was no concerted effort to “prove a point” or to make Transparent into a “message show” — there was only the decision to tell a story that privileges the other, and to tell that story with truth and humour and grace.
Q How did it feel when you learned that Transparent helped Caitlyn Jenner’s family understand her identity?
A Oh my gosh, it was so touching to hear that. I’m a huge Kardashian fan, and knowing that my experiences and my work helped them to navigate their own similar journey as a family meant the world to me. That’s all I could have asked for — that viewers’ compassion for the Pfeffermans might be translated into greater compassion for other people in the world around them.
Q With your work on Six Feet Under and now Transparent, you have been a big part of what people have called a new “golden age” for TV. Fifteen to 20 years ago, television was often viewed as a less satisfying medium for actors and writers when compared to film. What do you think changed?
A People are finally recognizing the narrative potential of television. We’ve never known a vehicle for long-form storytelling quite like TV, and that means a level of character and world exploration no other medium can quite match. I also think the network explosion of recent years has completely changed the game — especially the advent of streaming services: in order to stand out from other networks, you’ve got to tell great stories. It’s a writer’s market, and that’s allowed for some incredibly satisfying storytelling to come to fruition. A lot of the kind of work that used to be indie cinema has found a healthier financial and distribution model in the world of streaming auteur TV.
Q How has the format of Amazon changed the way the series is written? Does knowing that Transparent will likely be “binge-watched” change your approach?
A The medium is changing. I believe binge-watching is the future of television as the business increasingly moves away from prime time and onto Internet platforms. As soon as Amazon came on board, I knew I was going to have a 10-episode season to work with, which was a huge boon because it allowed me to develop the series holistically — to think of it as a five-hour movie instead of 10 isolated halfhour segments. Streaming networks are actually a huge gift to writers in that way — you’re given the space to think of the show as a cohesive unit, which is a luxury many network shows don’t have.
Q You will be giving a master class in Banff. Any quick-hit advice you can give the fledging writers or producers who are unable to attend?
A In general, I urge everyone to privilege the other in their work — to honour the feminine traits within us that this industry constantly tries to suppress. Receive. Be open to the world around you. Don’t force your will upon the set or upon your characters; let them become who they’re going to be. And most importantly, for women and people of colour and queer people: keep doing the work. You’re going to need to bust your ass ten times as much as all the straight, cisgender white dudes — it sucks, but it’s true — so do me a favour and don’t be afraid to f--k s --t up, surprise yourself, go wild as a creator. That’s how you find your voice and that’s what’s going to set you apart as an artist.